Posted on: April 30, 2016 Posted by: Michele Lee Comments: 0

If you’ve not fully committed to taking a daily probiotic, I hope this startling information will help you decide to make today the day — especially if you’re a woman at or nearing menopause, like me.

You probably haven’t heard much about any association between menopause and probiotics, but I’m sure you know how important probiotics are at supporting a healthy gastrointestinal tract. But even beyond that, your gut is the one organ to fight all disease (even cancer). That’s mainly because it’s ground zero for your immune system — and that has far-reaching effects on your total body health.

You may find this latest news surprising, though.

A daily probiotic may help you prevent the bone loss that affects all of us as our bodies begin to produce less of the sex hormones — testosterone and estrogen — due to menopause. And that’s of vital importance.

A few weeks ago you may have seen this post in our newsletter — Women are 5 times more likely to die after this. The “this” in the title refers to a hip break. It turns out that women between the ages of 65-69 who break a hip are five times more likely to die — just a year following the break —  than women of the same age who don’t break a hip, according to published research.

I don’t know about you, but the closer I get to 65, the younger I realize it is — and I want to fully enjoy all the years ahead. But if my body deteriorates, I’m doomed. And so are you.

Still, sometimes I struggle with doing everything I should be doing to help boost my bone strength and avoid osteoporosis — like weight-bearing exercise, eating enough calcium-rich food and balancing my intake of vitamin D and K2 — magnesium too.

That’s why I’m excited about probiotics. Researchers at Emory University School of Medicine and Georgia State University found that mice that had undergone ovary removal (simulating menopause) lost half their bone density within a month. But in a group of the ovary-less mice that they gave probiotics to — there was no change in bone density.

And here’s a big plus: In mice who still had their ovaries intact — probiotics boosted bone growth.

That’s exciting news… considering all the other very valid reasons that you should already be taking a probiotic anyway, this one supplement can help you feel better knowing you’re covering just about all the bases.

But why not just pop a pill? Surely your doctor is already pushing a prescription osteoporosis medication your way, right?

Well, here’s one very good reason: Bone drugs are causing fractures.

A group of medicines that were developed to curb osteoporosis are to blame for an increase in thigh bone fractures. And when this happens, doctors are recommending that you stop taking the drug and maximize calcium and vitamin D.

Of course that makes perfect sense, but it’s a little late to give that common sense advice after your patient is in the hospital with a debilitating fracture or break.

So don’t let that happen to you. Get your probiotics and start boosting your bones — and your overall health today.

Editor’s note: Some doctors know the common sense approach is often the best approach to better health. For more common-sense tips on achieving your best health, check out Dr. Michael Cutler’s popular guide, The Part-Time Health Nut.

Source: http://news.emory.edu/stories/2016/04/pacifici_probiotics_jci/index.html

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